Software :: Can't Delete A Locked File - How To Delete
Sep 30, 2000
After I installed OS X I decided to go through my other partitions & do a little spring cleaning. In all, I trashed over 400MB of crap, but one file has refused to be deleted (it's a locked file left over from the old 3Com ISDN modem I had). When I try to empty the trash I get the following message:
"The operation cannot be completed because the item 'IQ320.BIN' is locked."
So, I look through the system help & find out that I either need to log in to OS X as the user who created the document ('root') or restart into OS 9 & unlock it from there.
Well, neither tactic has worked thus far. I restarted into OS 9 but found out that I can't access the file because it's in the trash (in OS X), which is an invisible directory (/Langly/.Trashes/102/). So then I restarted into OS X, logged in as root, but I still couldn't delete it. Desperate, I opened terminal, switched to root (su) found the files, but still can't delete the darned file. I tried rm, mv (thought if I moved it to somewhere that OS 9 could see it...), even chown, but each time I got "Operation not permitted." Any thoughts out there?
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Oct 23, 2006
i was burning some documents for somebody i know because there CD drive correctly. she gave me all of the files on a thumb drive, and one of them was a locked PDF file, i dragged all of the docs to my desktop, burned them to a CD, then deleted them all, but the locked PDF just gives me an error. how can i unlock it/ delete it?
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May 31, 2010
After getting my flash drive back from a friend, it had a Win32 virus on it. These are normally locked, and I usually just go into Get Info and unlock it. This particular file, however, doesn't let me unlock it. And since I can't unlock it, I can't delete it.
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Sep 5, 2014
when trying to unlock the usual way (right click - get info - uncheck the locked box) it will not allow to uncheck, the check mark just keeps coming back. Troubleshooting already done:
- Tried a disk repair, this didn't work
- Logged in as Admin and tried deleting the file, this didn't work
- launching terminal and "sudo rm -f" -- this idea didn't work either
Info:
MacBook Pro
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Jul 2, 2010
i have a file on my macbook pro called recycler and I cannot get rid of it from the trash
its says .vmx is locked
and having gone in to it i see the file
jwgkvsq.vmx has a locked sign by it
any ideas how to get rid of this ?
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Jun 7, 2010
This morning I suddenly found out that, on my new macbook pro, command-delete will delete the file (with the warning window) immediately without putting it into trash first. This function works well yesterday.
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Jun 23, 2008
I need some guidance getting the items I have on my computer permanently deleted from the trash. When I go to delete them I get the following message below and I can't delete anything. What do I need to do?
Message Received:
This operation can not be completed because the item is locked
wmphelp.htm
wmpicon.gif
windowshade.gif
whatsnew.htm
volume.gif
viewinginfo.htm
upgradingwmp.htm
And the list just goes on .......
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Aug 4, 2010
So I had this Windows folder on an external HD that I tried to delete on my Mac. I've tried option+click to delete the trash, I tried secure empty trash and they didn't work. I also tried to unlock the folder but it just won't unlock.
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Mar 24, 2012
I cannot delete some locked items from trash ... get the message "The operation cannot be completed because the file is locked"
Info:
MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5)
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Feb 13, 2012
How do I delete apps from iPad one? The icons jiggle but there are no x's or lines to click for delete. I read once about resetting to Original condition, which is fine BUT My Passcode ,inside setting Is unknown, locked. I have about 22 failed trials. I am not talking about the password to log onto my iPad.
Info:
iPad 3G, iOS 5
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Apr 11, 2012
I'm trying to delete items from my computer that no longer use and need the space and it gives me this message: 'The operation can't be completed because the item AppleWorks 6 is in use". Any idea how I can delete everything even the locked items?
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May 24, 2012
I am working on clearing off some hard drive space, and my first step was to remove some unneeded items from an external HD to make some space there. When I drag the folder I'm trying to delete to the trash, I first get a message that the items will be immediately deleted (I think because my internal HD is quite full?) and that's fine because I do want to delete these, so I say OK. It starts the process of deleting, and counting how many files it's deleting, then gives me a message that the operation cannot be completed because item "xx" is locked. The only solutions I have found on here involve unlocking "xx" but my problem is, when I search the computer and/or the external for item "xx" nothing is found. I'm really not sure if the issue with item "xx" is an issue with the drive or with the computer, or what to do about it?? If it's the drive, I suppose I could back up what I do want to save from the drive then re-format it?
Info:
iMac (24-inch Early 2008), Mac OS X (10.6.8)
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Jun 27, 2007
I was helping a friend by reformatting his pc and reinstalling windows because it was slow, when I was downloading the drivers for it on my MacBook Pro (didn't have access to the router since it's downstairs and his pc didn't have a wireless card), it downloaded a folder filled with locked files, it comes several folders deep and all of the files are locked, fun. So I tried to delete it using sudo rm -r, but it says I don't have sufficient privileges, anyone know a command I can use to delete it all? I'd rather not do it by hand, that'd take forever.
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Nov 29, 2007
I am relatively new to the Mac. I have a Macbook Pro 2.2GHz. Today, a file keeps popping up on my desktop. It is named .DS_Store. The icon looks like a text document. I won't open it cuz I'm afraid of what it is, lol (Windows still clogging my brain). Anyway, I can drag it to the trash and delete the trash, but after a bit, it reappears.
Any idea how to get rid of it?
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Mar 13, 2010
when i try to delete items from my trash bin i get the following message even when i hold down the option key (upon which the eye symbol turns into a play button) and try to empty the trash like it instructs me to do it gives me the same error message.
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Apr 21, 2012
how can i delete a file that says that it is still use when the trash can is emptied and the file is not opened
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Jun 5, 2012
I am trying to delete an XLS file from a network drive and am getting a message that says the file cannot be deleted because it is in use.I can't see where it is in use and have tried to reboot the computer to no avail. I can delete other files but several XLS files are giving me this message.
Info:
MacBook
Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)
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Feb 3, 2010
Whenever I delete an email using iMail, it doesn't delete from my gmail account when I would just use the regular browser to check my mail. Is there a way to delete emails both off of iMail AND from Gmail so it does not appear when using a browser to check my mail or on another computer?
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May 30, 2012
is there a way to delete mail on your computer and have it automatically delete from your iPhone as well?
Info:
MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2010), iOS 5.1.1
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Apr 14, 2010
I have a file in the drop box of my laptop running OSX 10.5.8 I have copied it to the appropriate folder (Music) but it will not permit me to delete it from the drop box folder.
When I try to send it to the trash, it says it is locked. When I go to Get Info, it shows it locked but that area is grayed out. Even when I open the padlock with the password, it stays gray.
This isn't a major problem, but I would like to get rid of this file because it's annoying when I can't get a computer do do what I tell it. Every time I see it, it reminds me that the computer has gotten the best of me.
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Dec 4, 2009
There is an avi file I found on my computer of an ex gf of mine. Now that I have a NEW gf, it would definitely not be a good idea to keep it on the computer. Problem is, I can't seem to delete it. I'm not super tech savvy, but I was able to delete quite a few other files with no issue, this is the only one that remains.I tried to hold option down while I emptied the trash, as I'd found that online. No go.
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Apr 15, 2012
I cannot delete a file(s) in MAC OS X. Receive error - 8058. I can't even move the files. They look like ghost files (other folder) from previous deleted items. I deleted hundreds of movie (.mov) files to clear space.
Info:
MacBook (13-inch Mid 2010), Mac OS X (10.7.3)
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Sep 12, 2007
How do I delete text. Let's say I wrote the wrong word, as you know a Windows keyboard has "Delete" and "Backspace" keys, but a MacBook keyboard only has a "Delete" key which acts like the "Backspace" key. So in order for me to delete on work I have to go behind the text and use it like backspace.. how do I just delete the word from the front?
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Jun 26, 2009
I was running my iMac just in admin, which I know is frowned upon but that's the way I had it. I had a corrupt preferences file and I couldn't save any of my passwords etc Finally created a new user and reinstalled everything and it works fine. Had to replace all my passwords for my apps etc but other than that not that big a deal.
Question is can I now delete the other user now that I have a new admin login?:
It is just taking up storage space with a user which is corrupted but I don't want to erase the data in that user and also delete all my data in the new user as well.
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Jul 12, 2009
I never use "User Accounts" on my MacBook. So I don't know much about them.
If I delete one User Account, will it delete that user's libraries, such as their music, movies, documents, etc?
Also, will it delete the programs that were installed under that user's account, but are accessible by all users?
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Feb 1, 2012
Is there a way to change the delete button to delete to the right instead of to the left? I always have to reposition the cursor to delete what I want!
Info:
iMac (27-inch Mid 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.2)
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Jun 22, 2012
I want to delete a large number of old emails in my Mac Mail inbox. I have 4425 in inbox and want to delete all but current ones. How do I highlight the mails, as a group, from the oldest to mail to most current that I want to delete?
Info:
Mac OS X (10.6.4), I pad
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Dec 4, 2008
The current issue of MacWorld described an applet called 'What's Keeping Me?
Did you ever have the problem where you can�t empty the Trash or eject a disk because something is preventing you? Usually the reason is because some application has a file open, and thus you can�t get rid of the disk or trash the file. That�s why we made What�s Keeping Me! What�s Keeping Me will identify the application that is preventing you from accomplishing your task. You can then use What's Keeping Me to quit, relaunch, or kill the problem application so you can get on with your business.
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Dec 9, 2007
I have this file that has appeared in my trash bin, this file stays there when I empty the trash. The icon shows full. When I try to "get info" on the file, nothing happens. I drag it out onto the desktop, and it disappears.
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Nov 6, 2008
I need to delete a file that I cannot access via Finder. Is there a command that I can use in terminal to delete it? I cannot access the folder the file exists in via Finder..
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